HOWTO NTFS and CPU optimization on Fedora Core2

There are two things that I always want when I install Linux, to access my dual boot Windows partition and the optimized kernel. Now, in FC2 with my hardware (Centrino Laptop) and with my Windows XP partition, I have that wishes granted!

The 2.6 kernel series supports NTFS read and write (still experimental) and my Centrino CPU, so I'll try to write some notes to have the same in your computers.

• First step is to install the kernel development packages in FC2.

  • Select in the Fedora Menu - "System Settings" -> "Add/Remove Applications"

  • Scroll down the packages to "Kernel Development" and select the left box option

• You'll need to have the FC2 CD's to install the software.
  
  

• Second step is to get hands on the source and copy the actual kernel options to use in the new one

  • Open "Terminal" window

  • Change to root: $ su - [enter your root's password]

  • Access the source kernel directory: $ cd /usr/src/linux/linux-2.6.5-1.358/

• Now we'll copy the current kernel configuration from your installed FC2 kernel (the default one) to the source dir, so that can use that as the new kernel options.

  • # cp /boot/config-2.6.5-1.358 /usr/src/linux/linux-2.6.5-1.358/.config

• Third step is to change the needed options, compile and install the new kernel

  • In /usr/src/linux/linux-2.6.5-1.358/

    • run: # make menuconfig

• In order to load the current kernel options, go to "Load an Alternate Configuration File" and choose the current option, ".config".

• For the CPU optimization we'll need to change the "Processor type and features" -> "Processor family" and choose "Pentium M". The output should be like this:

• Now we'll go for the NTFS support. Choose in the main menu (use <ESC> key to go back) "File system" ->  "DOS/FAT/NT Filesystem" -> "NTFS file system support" and use the <y> key on the selected option - the <y> key is to include the NTFS support in the kernel - and them "Select" option.

• Use the <ESC> key to return to main menu and "Exit", saving the new kernel configuration

• You're ready now for the time and CPU consuming while compiling and installing the new kernel.

  • run : # make bzImage && make modules modules_install && make install

  • wait, wait and wait until its all over

    • After a while you'll get the command prompt again, and the new kernel installed. You can check if it's installed by doing:

      • $ cat /boot/grub/grub.conf
        The output should be something like this:

• Reboot your system and on the grub load menu, choose your "2.6.5-1.358custom" kernel.
  
  Congratulations, you have now the kernel optimized to your CPU and NTFS support to access your Windows partition.
  
  

To mount NTFS partitions, you can use the linux-nfts module mount documentation in http://linux-ntfs.sourceforge.net/info/ntfs.html
For my default Windows installed on hda1, I use the following "/etc/fstab".

LABEL=/            /                       ext3 defaults 1 1

LABEL=/boot     /boot                 ext3 defaults 1 2

none                 /dev/pts             devpts gid=5,mode=620 0 0

none                 /dev/shm            tmpfs defaults 0 0

none                 /proc                   proc defaults 0 0

none                 /sys                    sysfs defaults 0 0

/dev/hda5         swap                   swap defaults 0 0

/dev/cdrom        /mnt/cdrom         udf,iso9660 noauto,owner,kudzu,ro 0 0

/dev/hda1         /home/windows     ntfs ro,umask=0222,uid=vd

Change the "/home/windows" to your Windows mountable directory and the "uid=vd" to your user.